Officer on Duty: How an Image can Change in an Instant
Document Type Article
Abstract
The deaths of Eric Garner, Michael Brown, and Tamir Rice sparked an uproar in many communities across the United States. These incidents brought to light that there is an issue that remains prevalent between citizen and police officers. The New York Police Department, Ferguson Police Department, and the Cleveland Department of Police have all dealt with tension involving the communities they serve. Since these incidents changes have been made within each department. Some had the help of the Department of Justice to reform old polices. While law enforcement does what they believe it is necessary to protect the public, sometimes their actions are seen as unprofessional and unwarranted. To maintain the impression of the motto “protect and serve” to the media and the citizens they shield from harm, they attempt to restore their image when questionable events arise. This paper explains and examines comments made by these three police departments, and how they attempted to restore their image in the public.
